HawthorneVillager.com

All-candidate meetings are important to
- gain exposure for the candidates.
- generate interest in the election to improve turnout.

There is about a 4 week window for these meetings between the close of nominations on September 10 and the opening of advance polls on October 11. All-candidate meetings for ward candidates are relatively easy to organize. Meetings including candidates for the senior positions, particularly the Region chair, are more difficult because of demands on the candidates' time and the audience size.

Tradition in Milton was for the JC's to host the senior meeting but last election they couldn't do it. None of Milton's service groups nor the Chamber of Commerce stepped up to fill the gap (I heard some feedback that they "don't do politics" - say what!). It was getting late in the season with no meetings in sight until several appeared including senior meetings hosted by the Halton Compass and the Milton Rural Residents. And there were conflicts in the last-minute meeting dates.

I suggest it is not too soon for
- service groups and the Chamber of Commerce to consider hosting senior all-candidate meetings, alone or in partnership with other groups. Stake the claim early.
- the town Clerk to offer discounted meeting rooms for registered all-candidate meetings. This eases the load for organizers and provides a central point for some coordination of meeting dates.
- the town to design a web page as a central calendar for all-candidate meetings.
- local newspapers to consider printing the all-candidate calendar as a service in every edition during the all-candidate season.

To candidates. This type of organizing, and efforts to improve turnout, should begin a year in advance of the election with guidance from a small citizen committee supervised by the Town Clerk. There was obviously no interest in this from current council. Mebbe the next one?

I haven't asked my boss at the Compass yet if he's planning on doing the same thing this time around.

Hi Garlis

Thanks for the post and your input to council regarding the Hospital funding. Regarding all candidates nights the Milton Jaycees who held many of the meetings for the last 30 years ( I even chaired some of them for the Provincial & Federal elections) disbanded in 2005 due to a lack of membership.

The Halton Compass to their credit hosted the candidates meetings for all the wards in the 2006 election. I understand the downtown BIA is considering a meeting for downtown issues and I have been encouraging other groups to host meetings possibly around their issues ie. the arts, rural issues, growth concerns and others.

The unfortunate reason for the decline in meet the candidate nights is the lack of attendence by the public with usually less than 100 people attending including all the candidates their supporters and family which usually results in about 20-30 people attending that are not affliated to any candidate. This is also the reason for no Federal candidates night in Milton in the 2008 election.

In terms of cost for booking a hall, advertising and arranging other details the cost is about $400-500 which is what I spent (yes my own money) for the first and only Milton budget open house last December which had a total of 16 people attend including three local candidates.

Between Cogeco and the new Milton Today TV there might also be a possiblity to do an in-studio debate similar to the Ward 2 by-election in 2007, for each race to keep the debate specific to that race as the Town could have over 30 candidates between the 15 races for Mayor, region councillors, local councillors and the four school board trustees.

The debates could be shown locally in the 1-2 weeks prior to the election so people can compare and contrast the candidates they are voting for in their ward.

The Town hall forums on the villager and the www.miltonmoms.net site have also helped highlight the candidate campaigns and the issues that concern residents. Also the use of candidate websites, facebook and twitter has expanded contact with voters and I understand a number of candidates have already been door knocking for months now in this Milton's longest election campaign.

I encourage any group to organize a meeting and invite the affected candidates to attend and debate issues of concern which can also be done at one of their regular or annual meetings which also reduces the cost and have the candidates promote the event. It should only take 2-3 weeks in lead time to book the hall, invite the candidates and arrange the details for promotion and media coverage.

Check www.milton.ca for election 2010 on the home page for all the details on the municipal election for both voters and candidates.

Colin Best
Local & regional councillor
Milton/Halton
Meet the Candidate night organizer 1978 - 2003.
Candidate for Local & regional councillor
Wards 2,3,4,5. North of Derry road.

_________________
Become a Fan! Visit my website! Email: colin.best@milton.ca Twitter Follow! 905-878-3623

I know its not the same thing as all candidates meetings or debates, which as Colin addressed, sadly dont have a lot of people coming out but over the course of the coming months I will be having some "meet Mike" nights around town and Im sure other candidates will as well.

Ive been out meeting people "at the doors" as well...

Hopefully there will be some opportunities for people to meet us in a formal environment and have those who are running against each other to showcase their views as well.

Itll be tough but we as candidates need to be open and proactive as well.

_________________
Mike Cluett
Local/Regional Councillor
Wards 1,6,7 & 8

Website | Email mike@mikecluett.ca | Cell (647) 888-9032 | Facebook Page | | Twitter @Mike_Cluett

Colin mentioned TV Cogeco as a way of getting your message out. I remember the last few years, TV Cogeco made available 2-3 minute "commercials" that were repeatedly played throughout the campaign.

This is helpful for those who are Cogeco subscribers only but Im pretty sure theyll be doing that again this year.

There is nothing stopping candidates in a particular ward to pool together some resources and have an informal debate...with of course someone to moderate who isnt a candidate or have an interest in it.

_________________
Mike Cluett
Local/Regional Councillor
Wards 1,6,7 & 8

Website | Email mike@mikecluett.ca | Cell (647) 888-9032 | Facebook Page | | Twitter @Mike_Cluett

No love for Cogeco here. Post the debates on Youtube!

If we can find some room in town...agree on who video tapes it...sure.

_________________
Mike Cluett
Local/Regional Councillor
Wards 1,6,7 & 8

Website | Email mike@mikecluett.ca | Cell (647) 888-9032 | Facebook Page | | Twitter @Mike_Cluett

I like the idea of Video on Demand for the candidates speeches. I know that when watching it during the last election, I always seemed to miss mine and that would be a great tool for people who have Cogeco to sit down and go through all the candidates to help them make their decision.

AND most importantly go out and vote as well. Advance poll dates and other election details are conveniently found on my website www.mikecluett.ca/election-2010

_________________
Mike Cluett
Local/Regional Councillor
Wards 1,6,7 & 8

Website | Email mike@mikecluett.ca | Cell (647) 888-9032 | Facebook Page | | Twitter @Mike_Cluett

Can this be seen online? I don't have Cogeco but would still like to view.

Rick,

Please consider building and maintaining a sticky calendar of election events on this forum as a central reference point.
- Multi-candidate meetings. When, where, which positions, host, focus.
- Advance polls and election day. When, where.

The town should be maintaining a register of multi-candidate events. It was suggested to them last election, and again this time, but no indication of interest yet. Last election, Oakville and Burlington provided this service on their websites.

Thanks smith77. I had no clue that the town was going to do the calendar. Should have checked before I posted yesterday but probably wouldn't have found it anyway on the election sub-menu without your help.

Thanks also to Troy and staff. I believe they will do what they can to improve voter turnout. Now, about those meeting room discounts and a press release to promote the all-candidate package......